Zelda: A Link Between Worlds guide – The Ice Ruins

Part fifteen of our complete Zelda: A Link Between Worlds guide, The Ice Ruins.

The Ice Ruins

Ice Ruins

The Fire Rod

The Ice Ruins requires the Fire Rod to enter, so head to Ravio and purchase this cool magical weapon if you have not done so. Though it’s a steep price (1200 Rupees), you should have plenty of cash to spend by now – and it’s well worth it!

The Correct Path

The Ice Ruins rests on the top of Death Mountain. The X on your map points to the mountain’s far east side. Warp back to Hyrule and ring your bell. Fast travel to the Tower of Hera. Go east and enter Rosso’s Ore Mine from the cave.

Rosso’s Ore Mine

Volcano’s Descent

Go left one screen and ride the platform across to the west. Drop on each platform below you to reach the far west ledge below. Defeat the fire lions here, then wait for a platform to come behind the wall to your right. Merge into the east wall and wrap around to land on the platform. Ride this down to the bottom platform, leading to an exit.

Long Way Up

Make your way to the bridge to the west to discover a cracked portal. Slip inside to return to Lorule. Recognize this classic music…Now fight through the enemies and enter the cave in the northeast corner. This is a huge tunnel that you must ascend to reach the Ice Ruins. Ride the narrow lift in front of you to the next lift. The trick here is to board each lift to get you higher, but be careful of the wing enemies that try to knock you off, as well as the spike wheels. Take note the last two require you to merge and slip around to the other side when ascending to the next section.

When you reach the two statues, merge around the wall. Defeat the ice statues with the Fire Rod, but use caution as they can knock you off easily. The sign insists to travel north, but merge into the wall to your left first. Vanquish another statue, and then wait for another beam to come to you from the north. Like before, ride each beam upward and defend yourself best with the Fire Rod. The section above will lead you to the east cave. Use proper timing to get around the blade wheels. Then ride the last beam up to the exit.

Arriving back outside on Death Mountain, travel east to the Ice Ruins. Save at the weather vane, then approach the frozen statue at the dungeon’s entrance. Melt it with the Fire Rod to gain entry.

Ice Ruins – 1F

Melt the large ice block in front of you to clear the way. Approach the statue ahead and pull its tongue backward to activate some rotating platforms. Ride the left-side platforms down to B5.

Ice Ruins – B5

Your ride takes you down to a large chest holding the big key. That was quick! Once you’ve grabbed the key, ride the platform back up to B2.

Ice Ruins – B2

A small key rests on a frozen icicle in B2’s first room. Cast the Fire Rod underneath it to melt the ice, and have the key drop. Grab the small key, then proceed back up to B1.

Ice Ruins – B1

Unlock the north door with your small key and head inside. Two statues are present in B1’s north hall. Pull the left-side statue’s tongue to unlock the east door, and dismantle the ice skeleton that comes to life with the Fire Rod. After, step inside the east chamber. Defeat the penguins in this hall (best by the Fire Rod), and then ignite all four of the torches to spawn a key on the high ledge. The key is unreachable at the moment, so proceed in the south passage.

In B1’s southeast room, block the statue’s ice beams with your shield and open up the chest to obtain the compass. Now, carefully cross the icicle beams to your right and use the Fire Rod to fend off the beetles (they’ll knock you off if you use your sword). Follow the north beam upward leading to a wall behind the small key you spawned recently. Merge into the wall and slide through the hole in the wall to reach the small key.

Slide back to the other side of the wall and follow the narrow path to the southwest door. Unlock it with your key. Back in B1’s first hall, merge into the wall to your right and slide over to the chest north. Open it for a Purple Rupee. Merge once again to reach the northwest ledge with a statue. Pull its tongue to rotate the floor beneath you. Drop down in the passage back down to B2.

Ice Ruins – B2

Go right one screen to enter the east chamber. Melt the ice in the southwest corner to reveal a floor switch. Step on it to open the northwest door at the top of the stairs. Ignore the locked door for now and take this passage leading to B2’s north chamber. Drop down the hole here to land on B4.

Ice Ruins – B4

A platform spins around B4’s outer chamber. Ride the platform to the west to reach a second platform covered in ice. Hop on the ice platform and ride it counterclockwise around the room. Along the way, an unlit torch can be seen. Ignite it with the Fire Rod to spawn another platform where you embarked. Ride this platform up to B3.

Ice Ruins – B3

When ascended to B3’s outer chamber, follow the narrow beam leading to the south section of the area. You can drop down to the ledge below to collect the Purple Rupee, but it returns you to B4 and you’ll have to ride back up here. Continue on the beam going east to reach a locked door. Ignore this for now and stand on the platform ahead, wait for it to ascend, and then ride it up to the north door on the high ledge.

This puts you on a ledge overlooking some ice blocks to your right. Melt them with the Fire Rod to discover a crystal switch. You cannot activate it from this level, so exit the room and follow the narrow beams back to the west side of B3. Once you reach the platform you ascended from B4, go through the door to your right. Merge into the upper wall to get across to the crystal switch you uncovered. Smack it to spawn a platform beside you. Ride this platform back up to B2’s west outer chamber.

Ice Ruins – B2

Defeat the Eyegores on the outside balcony, then destroy the skull pots nearby to reveal a floor switch. Step on it to unlock the east door and proceed through. Now in B2’s central room, pull the statue’s tongue to open the floor beneath you, revealing a large chest below. Drop down to the chest, landing you back on B3.

Ice Ruins – B3

Open the large chest to claim the Stamina Scroll. This helpful item increases your power meter’s capacity and allows you to merge into a wall longer. Dismiss the enemies that appear and then hop down to the left ledge. This brings you back to the crystal switch you messed with earlier. Wait for the platform to descend in this hall and ride it back up to B2.

Ice Ruins – B2

Make your way back to the west outer banks and return to the room above the Stamina Scroll chest. Slide into the wall and cross over to the ledge to your right. Then head through the door to return to B2’s northeast hall with the locked door. You still need to scout for a key, so proceed through the door left of the locked door.

The floor in this hall is now open and you can jump down to reach a statue. Pull its tongue to rotate the floor beneath you. Drop down the hole to land back on B3, and a mini-boss.

Ice Ruins – B3

The large penguin foe and his minions shouldn’t be a problem if you cast the Fire Rod, which will slow down their movement and vanquish them quickly. The larger penguin takes additional hits, and can trap you in a corner. Keep moving around to prevent this from happening.
Once the area is secured, a portal emerges leading back to the entrance, and two open doors on the sides of the room. If you want to save your game, go through the portal and do so. Otherwise, return here and proceed through the door to your left. This brings you back to the exterior of B3. An icy trail leads to a statue here. Dismiss the beetles with the Fire Rod before crossing. Take your time, because it’s slippery. When you reach the statue, pull the tongue to rotate another floor that moves to B3’s far east room.

Return to the large penguin chamber and proceed through the right passage. In B3’s east room, look above: a torch hangs over this chamber. Stand underneath it and ignite the torch with the Fire Rod to unlock the south door. This leads to the southeast catwalks in B3’s exterior. Take care of the wizards that appear. (The floor switch unlocks B3’s south room with additional treasures you can collect.) Merge around the wall with the statue to reach the other side. Look for an opening in the catwalk above a chest. Drop down back to B4 and collect the small key inside.

Ice Ruins – B4

Follow the narrow path west to stumble across a floor switch. Step on it to assemble the beams, allowing you access to the platforms to the north. Ride the platforms back up to B2.

Ice Ruins – B2

Remember that locked door on B2 you passed several times? It’s in the northeast chamber marked on your map. Return there by going right one screen. If you’re in need of health, melt the icicle on the wall, ascend the stairs, and then merge into the wall. There’s an opening in the south wall that leads you to a fairy fountain. When ready, head for the north door and unlock it.

You arrive in B2’s northeast chamber. An ice block rests below you. You must land on the ice block – if you miss, you’ll have to backtrack up here! Merge into the wall and position yourself directly above the block, then morph out to land on top of it.

Ice Ruins – 1F

You land back in B3’s northeast hall on higher ground. Drop to the side (not below) and melt the ice block you landed on. Some wind submerges through the passage. Allow the breeze to carry you to another statue. Pull its tongue to rotate the floor in the northeast chamber. Go up one screen and melt the ice skeletons that block your path. When you’re set to go, drop down the large pit in this hall.

Ice Ruins – B4

You are now back on B4. Feel free to scout for additional chests on B4 if you like. Otherwise, it’s time to head for the boss chamber. Travel to the east side of B4 and navigate through the ice paths using the Fire Rod (the rod also comes in handy against the enemies lurking here).
Many glaciers block your path, so you’ll need to melt them. Continue to southeast section of B4 to discover a torch. Ignite it with the Fire Rod to assemble the narrow path, leading you to a statue. Pull its tongue to rotate the floor one last time, bridging the gap to the boss chamber nearby. Head inside and drop down the pit leading to B6, and the boss of the dungeon.

BOSS! DHARKSTARE

The shadow boss shields himself with a large glacier, and cannot be damaged at this state. Use the Fire Rod to consistently melt his ice barrier to expose his body. Without any ice protecting the boss, the beast is extremely vulnerable. Swipe him with your sword as he pounces around the room. He moves rather slow at first and is easy to hit. Over the course of the battle, the barrier’s layers will increase, and so will his movement. Cast the Fire Rod from a diagonal position for better accuracy.

Dharkstare has two attacks that can hurt Link. The first is the ice beams he fires. They emerge from a triangle-shaped light, so move outside the beam so it doesn’t freeze you. The second threat is a group of ice blocks that he collects and smashes them toward you. Make it easy on yourself and melt the small glaciers around the room to prevent this from happening.

Rosso Portrait

Grab the full Heart Container after the battle, then examine the portrait to the north. Have a chat with Rosso, who turns out to be one of the sages. This is a shock to many we’d have to say…